


smoke show

by thunderylee



Series: love february 2021 [16]
Category: NEWS (Japan Band)
Genre: Canon Universe, Gen, dismantling gender constructs one fic at a time, feminist shige, men in eyeshadow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 21:48:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29740365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thunderylee/pseuds/thunderylee
Summary: Koyama tries something new.
Series: love february 2021 [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138346
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	smoke show

**Author's Note:**

> love february day 26: make up! this was not the original intended meaning of this prompt, but what are prompts if not for interpretation? down with toxic masculinity!!

Shige starts to nod up at Koyama’s entrance, then does a double take as he nearly chokes on nothing. Everything about Koyama is normal (or at least normal for Koyama) except the black lines around his eyes, artfully smeared on the outer corners to make him look even more expressive.

“What?”

Shige shakes his head as Koyama drops his bag and floofs his hair in the mirror. They’re rehearsing today, but the nature of an idol is to always look good no matter what. You never know where there will be a camera.

“Oh, is it my eyes?” Koyama goes on, pointing at his own face as he turns toward Shige. “I’m trying something new. Nadja-san taught me how to do it. Do you like it?”

Slowly, Shige nods. He doesn’t trust his voice right now. He doesn’t even know what he would say, can’t formulate anything coherent out of the mess of feelings in his brain right now. All he knows for certain is that yes, he does like it.

“It’s okay, right?” Koyama suddenly looks worried, like someone’s going to jump out of the wall and beat him up for wearing eyeliner. “I’ve seen lots of other male idols do it, so I thought I could too. Unless it’s making some kind of statement I don’t want?”

“Only if that statement is that you’re a man who doesn’t limit yourself to masculine presentations.”

Shige can always count on his firm beliefs to bring him back to reality. Regardless of how Koyama looks right now, Shige will stand up for his right to do so until the end of time.

“I suppose that’s okay then. Your face troubles me though. Does it look bad or something?”

“It definitely does not look bad.”

“Does it look _good_?”

Shige knows he’s lost when the corners of Koyama’s mouth lift in a smirk, accentuated even more by the smoky eyes.

“It doesn’t _not_ look good,” Shige replies evasively.

“It’s okay to find it attractive, Shige,” Koyama says in this voice that can only be described as innocent sarcasm. “Or are you making a statement as a man who finds discomfort in complimenting other men’s appearances?”

“Touché.”

They grin at each other like two people who routinely call each other out. Koyama’s come a long way since Shige’s started studying feminism, even if he still ogles gravure spreads on TV. Baby steps, Shige supposes.

“Maybe I’ll wear heels again,” Shige thinks out loud.

He feels a little proud that Koyama’s the one influencing him this time.

“You absolutely should. They suit you.”

Shige’s first instinct is to be insulted, but he catches himself before it shows on his face. Looks like he still has problematic things to unlearn himself.

“They’re so hard to dance in though,” is all he says.

“Female idols dance in heels all the time. You just have to practice.”

“You’re right.”

“Of course I am.”

The door opens and Massu breezes in, literally flowing in a long, ruffled skirt over leggings, his hair pulled out of his face with a flowery headband.

“Hey,” he says nonchalantly as he sets his bag carefully on a chair and starts stretching, oblivious to Koyama and Shige’s blatant stares. Koyama’s mouth is even falling open a little.

Maybe Shige still has a ways to go after all.


End file.
